


13 Days of Spookstober

by evengayerpanic



Category: The Half of It (2020)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Halloween
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27112387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evengayerpanic/pseuds/evengayerpanic
Summary: A compilation of thirteen days of 'spooky' Halloween and Fall-inspired shorts for my favourite fandoms and pairings.
Relationships: Ellie Chu/Aster Flores
Kudos: 1





	13 Days of Spookstober

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 of 13 Days of Spookstober: The Half of It.
> 
> It’s a competition of artistic freedom versus technical application when Aster Flores and Ellie Chu go head to head in a Pumpkin Carving Contest for beginners.

“Look, guys, I found us all a pumpkin!” Paul proudly proclaimed, lugging his orange pieces of treasure into the tiny kitchen of his two bestfriend’s apartment.

They had sent him out for a pumpkin pie, and maybe some vanilla icecream, or a can of whipped cream.

Not for actual picked from the earth pumpkins.

Yet, he was so excited that neither of them could bare turn him down or laugh. He picked the pumpkins with love, it was clear from how gently he placed them in front of each girl, saving the most flawed for himself.

“I haven’t carved one of these in about five years!” Paul smiled, rubbing the dirt off of his pumpkin with a spare napkin and the ice water from his glass.

“I’ve never carved one.” Aster cut in, shrugging her shoulders as Pauls mouth fell open and he stared.

“What?” He sputtered. “How have you never carved…”

“Halloween is a pagan holiday, my Dad’s a Deacon.”

“Oh, right.”

“I’ve never carved a pumpkin either.” Ellie interrupts Paul’s gawking, taking the brunt of his confusion and appall onto herself. “Not because of religion.”

If Paul is boggled at the fact that Aster has never carved a pumpkin, Ellie not having carved one either completely does him in. His mouth has dropped open in permanent bewilderment and his eyes wide.

“That’s it, we are going to carve as many pumpkins as we can find!” Paul is enthusiastic once more, determined to right the wrong that has been done to his friends, to bring them peace and utter salvation.

… And Paul just really likes pumpkins.

“A couple? Wouldn’t one be enough?”

“No, Ellie, the first few pumpkins are never any good, we have to get you guys practice for the big night.”

If he wasn’t taking it so seriously, Aster would have almost laughed at how particular he is about picking knives for each of them, and carving tools.

“I’ve written six takes on Romeo and Juliet in three and a half days before, I hardly think slicing up a pumpkin is going to be hard for me, Paul, come on…”

“I agree, it’s all about artistic creativity.”

Ellie fixes Aster with a stare. “Hardly, it’s clearly a task that focuses on technical precision over creativity.”

“You’re wrong.” Aster rebuffs. "You’re trying to create something out of a fruit, that’s art not technicality.”

“It uses knives, Aster, that’s precision. One wrong cut and you could compromise the entire structure.”

“We’ll see then, who can carve the better pumpkin.”

“Oh you are on, Flores, don’t challenge the best.”

Watching between the two girls like a tennis match, Paul jumped in the moment that the girls swiped the knives out of his hands. “Remember guys, it’s supposed to be all in the name of Halloween fun!”

“Can it Munsky, you’re the one who’ll be judging!”

“Aw, crap.”

_________________

Three hours and forty-seven minutes later, Paul was woken up from his place napping on the table by the unison slamming of pumpkins down beside his head.

“Arghh!” He yelped, flying out of his seat.

“It’s time to judge, Paul.” Aster smirked, voice soft and sweet, before turning to her girlfriend and sticking her tongue out. “On who carved the best pumpkin.”

Ellie frowned and shook her head, “No fair, you can’t flirt with him, he’s judging the pumpkins simply on design, not which one of us he likes more!”

“I would never use flirting against you, I just want him to say that your pumpkin is not as good as mine.”

“Good luck, just remember who’s bestfriend he is.”

Paul shrugged his shoulders, eyes opening wide once more when the two turned to him expectantly, waiting for his verdict on the pumpkin quandry.

“I… well… can’t they both be nice?”

“No, you have to pick a winner.” The girls spoke in unison, both determined to win the challenge, before turning their pumpkins to face him for judgement.

Ellie’s was straight lines and precise cuts; the etchings of the monsters wrinkles done with techniques that Paul didn’t even know of the pumpkin carving world. It was technical and well constructed, every notch made for a purpose, but lacked a little bit of oomph.

Aster’s was messy; the cut of the pumpkins were wild and some were out of place, pieces had chipped off and frayed, but it had soul. Her monster was terrifying, and creative. Aster having made good work of the entire surface with a little bit of zing.

Paul honestly couldn’t decide.

Creative but messy and not likely to last to Halloween? Precise with every cut made clean, but a little on the boring side? Paul hated this game.

“Can I show you mine first?” He smiled, hoping to buy himself time before he had to pick his poison.

“Fine, but then you’re picking a winner.” Ellie agreed.

“You’ll be picking me as the winner.” Aster teased, bumping her hip against her girlfriend’s playfully.

Only thing was, as Paul turned his pumpkin around to reveal a simple yet effective design, both girls gasped and the competition no longer seemed vital.

Etched out in sloppy, gritty, rough cuts of the pumpkin were the letters “E + A = <3″. Nothing else.

“Oh, Paul.” Aster whispered, wrapping an arm around Ellie and dipping her head against her neck, a blush of red creeping up her skin and to her cheeks.

“It’s beautiful, man.” Ellie pressed her lips against Aster’s forehead, their brutal contest all but forgotten. “Alright, let’s grab some pumpkin pie, since *I* went out to get it, knowing that you would forget.”

As the girls left the dining room (and the gooey mess of three carved pumpkins) behind to grab some pie from the fridge, Paul grinned from ear to ear.

“Distracting them with their love…” He murmured, cheekily smirking as he shook his head staring at his poorly-carved but well thought out five-minute competition-ending pumpkin, "It works everytime!”


End file.
